When his dark gaze slides to me, he shows no signs of surprise.
I know he recognizes me.
I spent countless years in his presence. After all, he’s the one who served Dad as his second for decades before Dad left the Royal Guard and stepped down from his position as the Royal Commander.
I can’t believe that when I was thirteen, I had the biggest, fattest crush on this bloody murderer.
Horses whined. I whipped my head towards the sound.
Royal Guards—I recognized their uniforms.
Even Royal Commander Axel Dukas was here, glaring at the fire with dark eyes. I sighed, panting as I braced my palms on my knees for a moment.
Relief punched through my chest. Until Axel Dukas raised a hand.
A rider lit another torch…and threw it. It arced through the night and landed in the flames.
I look away first, lowering my gaze to the table in front of me. If I don’t get my anger and rage under control, the fae around me will notice. They can read body cues much easier.
When Daegel rests his hand over mine and squeezes it gently, I realize he already notices.
Choking a breath down, I try to clear my mind.I’m an empty vessel.
“King Francis.” The General greets the king. “Commander Dukas. It’s good to see you. Thank you for coming all the way from Wetra. Please take a seat.”
“It’s been awhile, General,” the king says as they all take a seat on the opposite side of the table.
I keep my eyes trained on the table.
I don’t trust myself. Not yet.
Daegel draws circles over my hand with his thumb. But I still clutch the arms of my chair as if my life depends on it.
He’ll have questions later. I won’t be able to dodge my way out of this. Not anymore.
How am I supposed to put together a plan and execute it flawlessly to ruin this man’s life the way he did mine when I can’t even control my own emotions when I’m in the same room as him?
I’m weak.
If my emotions rule me,hehas power over me.
It’s a weakness I can’t afford.
The General takes a seat at the head of the table, and the Taaslord sits in an empty seat next to me.
“I hope your accommodations are comfortable and you have everything you need,” the General says. “I was told the journey here was stormy.”
“Thank you, General. The stay at your castle is always comfortable,” the king says. His words are kind, but there’s no kindness in his tone. “We hit the storm halfway to Ekios, which definitely didn’t make sleeping easy.”
A few laughs go around the table.
“This time of year, the sea can be unpredictable,” the General says, amused. “Hopefully lack of sleep won’t affect the outcome of this meeting.”
“That depends on what agreement we can come to,” King Francis says.
Silence settles around the table. Curious, I look up to find King Francis and the General staring at each other.
The General is the first to break the silence. “Well, I think we can both agree that we have the best interests in mind when it comes to domestic and international politics.”
